Man burns wife alive in Keonjhar

Keonjhar: While whole of Odisha was busy celebrating ‘womanhood’ during Raja, a heinous incident of a man allegedly burning his wife alive, baffled the residents of Anandpur area of Keonjhar on Monday. The crime was carried out in Koilipal village under Mahuladiha police limits in Keojhar.

According to sources, the deceased identified as Lija Dehuri was married to Prafulla Nayak, of nearby Udubeda village, a month before. She was allegedly subjected to frequent domestic violence by her in-laws soon after her marriage and thus, she often stayed with her family.

However, Lija left with Prafulla on Monday evening when the latter promised to take her to a raja festival in the village. Later, Prafulla along with two men poured petrol and set her ablaze.

She was rushed to Anandpur hospital where she narrated the incident to her father before she succumbed to her injuries.

“We were in the festival when she ran towards us screaming. Her entire body was burnt. She told that her husband and two other men poured petrol and burnt her,” said Lija’s father Raina Dehuri.

Details about the incident will be updated soon. A police investigation is currently underway.